The Sorcerer

The GSVLOC Health and Safety Plan for Our Audience

The Gilbert & Sullivan Very Light Opera Company is pleased to announce that it will present The Sorcerer, for four weekends, from March 10 to April 2, 2023.

This production will be directed by Gary Briggle, with music direction by Dr. Randal Buikema.

This production is dedicated to the memory of long-time company member, tenor Mark Alt.

The cast for this production of The Sorcerer includes:

John Wellington Wells:  Sif Oberon
Aline:                           Maggie Benham /
                                       Anna Maher
Alexis:                          Seth Tychon Steidl
Lady Sangazure:            Lara Trujillo
Sir Marmaduke:             Waldyn Benbenek
Mrs. Partlett:               J. R. Andrews
Constance:                   Kaoru Shoji
Dr. Daly:                       Doug Freeman
Notary:                        John Orbison

Chorus of Townspeople

Joe Allen                       Mary Mescher Benbenek
Scott Benson                 Tom Berg
Sarah Brickeen              James Brooks
Kelly Danger                  Theresa Drexler
Alyssa Ehlen                  Jeff Erickson
Mary Gregory                Jakob Gomez
Scott Gorman                Stephen Hage
Shawn Holt                    Ella Rose Katzenberger
Mary Kettlewell             Kaitlin Klemencic
Dean Laurance              Blanka Melbostad
Eric Pasternack              Matthew Polum
Mallory Rabehl               Richard Rames
Lowell Rice                    Rhea Sullivan
Sam Vinitsky                  Holly Windle
Josh Zapata-Palmer

The Sorcerer’s plot involves an engaged couple, Alexis and Aline, the son and daughter of the community’s two aristocratic families.  The couple wish that everyone could be as happily in love as they are.  In addition, Alexis believes that love should level all ranks and social distinctions.  To achieve both goals, Alexis hires John Wellington Wells of J. W. Wells & Co., Family Sorcerers, to put a love potion into the tea that the villagers will drink at a celebration in honor of the couple.  The love potion causes everyone in the village to fall in love with the first person they see, regardless of rank or social distinction.  This results in the pairing of comically mismatched couples … including Alexis and Aline’s parents.  All is made right in the end, when a sacrifice is made to break the spell.

The Sorcerer was Gilbert and Sullivan’s third collaboration, following Trial by Jury and preceding H.M.S. Pinafore.  The operetta satirized Victorian era class distinctions and operatic conventions.  The success of The Sorcerer cemented Gilbert and Sullivan’s partnership and set the pattern and style that made Gilbert and Sullivan’s following operas so successful.  The Sorcerer opened on November 17, 1877 and ran for 175 performances.

Two excellent internet resources for information about The Sorcerer:

Wikipedia – The Sorcerer

The Gilbert & Sullivan Archive – The Sorcerer

All performances will be at the Howard Conn Fine Arts Center, at Plymouth Congregational Church, located at 1900 Nicollet Avenue South, in Minneapolis. Friday and Saturday evening performances are at 7:30 pm, Saturday and Sunday matinees are at 2:00 pm.

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